EU approves sale of GMO soybeans

The European Commission has approved three new varieties of genetically modified soybeans for use in the European Union. The soybeans are engineered to tolerate herbicides including glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup. The EC action will allow the import and sale of the soybeans for food and feed across the 27 EU nations for a decade. They cannot be grown in Europe, however. “Any products produced from these GMOs will be subject to the EU’s strict labeling and traceability rules,” the commission says. The soybeans received a favorable scientific assessment from the European Food Safety Authority and went through a “comprehensive authorization procedure,” the release points out. The EC approval follows a decision last month to extend use of glyphosate in the EU for 18 months while the European Chemicals Agency decides whether it causes cancer. The commission has previously approved other genetically modified soybeans for sale in Europe, including a variety manufactured by Bayer CropScience.